


Outcast

by lbepperson



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:35:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23506969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lbepperson/pseuds/lbepperson
Summary: Rose Bell, a muggle born Slytherin has gone 3 years at Hogwarts without friends. On her way to her 4th year, she meets Oliver Wood and immediately hits it off with him. During the sorting ceremony in Harry Potter's first year, she feels an indescribable connection to the Boy who Lived. Could it just be gratitude at him saving the wizarding world at a young age? Or could it be something more?
Relationships: Harry Potter/Original Female Character(s), Oliver Wood/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time posting here, but it's a fanfiction I've been working on for a long time. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1 

Rose  
I hug my parents goodbye as I stare at the clock. 5 minutes before the train leaves. By this point, there’s not going to be an empty compartment. I silently sigh, resigning myself to yet another 5-hour train ride in an awkward compartment, assuming that I can actually find one this year and don’t have to sit in the dining car.  
“We love you, Rose,” my mum is saying. “Have a good year.”  
I smile, not allowing myself to say anything that would give away how much I hesitate to go back to Hogwarts. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to learn magic and all, but I just hate how I’m treated there.  
“Yeah, I love you guys, too.” I’m distracted. 3 minutes. “I’ve got to get on the train Mum, or I won’t be able to get a compartment.”  
Mum nods. “Yes, you’re right. We’ll see you at the end of the year, dear.”  
I give a quick hug to my parents, and then shoulder my bag and head on to the train. Sure enough, every single compartment is full of at least 2 people. Finally, I find one that surprisingly, is empty, save for a few papers on the pull down table in the middle. I glance around, and seeing no one in the immediate vicinity, I pull open the door and walk in, praying those papers are either left over from end of term last year (even though I know that’s impossible, I mean, they do clean the train over the summer) or from someone who will at least be friendly.  
As I sit down and pull out my book, I glance at the name written on the papers. Oliver Wood is scrawled in messy handwriting on the top right corner. “Not a Gryffindor, anyone but a Gryffindor,” I moan to myself, glancing out of the window to the platform. Not seeing the Gryffindor Keeper anywhere, I shove my book back in my bag and hurriedly throw my jacket back on, hoping I can leave the compartment before he shows up. Right as I reach for the handle on the compartment door, it swings open, showing a surprised face staring back at me. For a moment, I’m caught off guard. I’ve never seen Oliver up close, but as close as I am to him now, I’m caught off guard. He’s got a strong jaw, and kind eyes. I’m only caught off guard for a moment, however, because as soon as I blink, the spell is broken, and I remember what I am.  
“I’m sorry. I was looking for an empty compartment and I saw your papers and thought this was abandoned, and I just wanted a place to sit, but obviously this compartment is taken so I’ll get out of your hair if you’ll just excuse me…” I say, unable to stop my rambling.  
Oliver stares right back at me, and then suddenly starts laughing. I stop rambling and look at him. “Excuse me?”  
Oliver tries to stop laughing and manages to do so, but I can still hear the laugh in his voice. “I’m sorry. Your face was funny enough but with your rambling, I just couldn’t help it. Please don’t feel like you have to leave. After all, there’s plenty of room for us two. I do have some homework I have to finish, though, so I’m afraid that I’ll be silent the first hour or so.”  
I stare at Oliver, not sure what he’s playing at. It’ll be nice to have a place to sit, but I’m wary. “Okay… thanks.” I sit back down, shrugging off my jacket and pull out my book.  
Oliver sits down behind the table and pulls out his quill, focusing on his homework. I stare at my book, trying to focus on the words, but am unable to. Instead, I glance at Oliver, trying to disguise the fact that I’m staring at him- but it doesn’t matter because he’s too engrossed in his homework. I smirk, enjoying the fact that it doesn’t feel awkward at the moment. Once he finds out what I am, though, that’ll definitely change. I shake my head and look back at my book, forcing myself to focus on the words.  
“Okay. All done with that,” Oliver says, interrupting my reading. I glance up and smile awkwardly.  
“Great,” I say, not knowing what else to say.  
“So, you know my name, but I don’t know yours.” Oliver looks at me cordially, and I nod.  
“My name is Rose Bell, and I’m a muggle born Slytherin,” I say, just wanting to get it over with. As I expected, Oliver’s mouth drops.  
“A Slytherin, huh?” he asks, and I can tell he’s trying to still be nice while trying to figure out if I’m like the others.  
“Yeah. Bet you don’t want to get to know me, now, do you?” I ask, waiting for the inevitable.  
“I do, actually.”  
Oliver’s words catch me off guard, and I gape at him. “Come again?”  
“I want to get to know you. Obviously you expect the worst, and given how you wanted to run out of here the moment you saw who I was, I’m sure that can’t be easy. Also, knowing your blood status- which is a load of pure stupidity, if you ask me- I’m sure that not a lot of Slytherin’s appreciate being near you, either.”  
My mouth is still hanging open as I stare at Oliver. No one had given such an accurate description of how my life was at Hogwarts, and I was absolutely amazed. “I… How did you figure that out?”  
“I’m perceptive,” Oliver says simply. “I would have talked to you earlier, but I know if I had, then I wouldn’t have wanted to stop talking to you, and so my homework that was left over wouldn’t get done.”  
I nod. “Very smart.” I put my book away as Oliver asks me more about myself. We fall in to easy conversation that’s interrupted a couple hours in by a bushy-haired girl who opens our door.  
“Have either of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville’s lost one, and we’ve been looking all over.”  
We shake our heads, and she stares at us. “I’m surprised you’re not in your robes yet. I’d change if I were you. I expect we’ll be arriving soon.”  
I glance out the train window to see that yes, indeed the terrain looks familiar to what it is as we get closer to Hogwarts, not to mention the fact that it’s gotten dark outside. Oliver and I thank the young girl, and then look at each other.  
“I guess we should go change,” Oliver says, and I nod.  
“I guess so. I’ll see you back here in a few minutes?” I ask, hoping he’ll say yes but doubting it.  
“Of course, Rose. And don’t worry. This year you have a friend.” Oliver smiles, the corners of his eyes crinkling. I smile back, then grab my robes and head to change.


	2. Oliver

I change into my robes and head back to the compartment, where Rose is gathering her items. She glances up when I open the door and smiles warily, then looks back at her items.  
I smile and gather up my homework, trying to put it away quickly while avoiding crumpling it up. Rose comes over to help, arranging my parchment into even stacks when the train lurches to a stop. Rose stumbles and I reach out to steady her as her hand lands on my chest. She pauses for a moment then pulls away, laughing awkwardly.  
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t expect the train to lurch so much,” she says, a red hue to her cheeks as she avoids my eyes. I smirk.  
“It’s okay. I mean, I knew you’d fall eventually,” I say, winking. Rose glances at me, sees I’m joking and rolls her eyes.  
“Come on, let’s head out. I’m starving,” Rose says, expertly changing the conversation and making me chuckle. I grab my bag and Rose’s before she can grab hers, and wait for an opening in the crowded corridor. I step out into the mass of students, blocking a few so that Rose can step out in front of me, and we slowly, painstakingly make our way off the train. We head towards the carriages, and I breathe deeply. The smoke from the train mingles with the fresh air that smells like pine trees. As we walk, Rose continues to protest that I am carrying her bag, claiming she can carry it.  
“Look, it’s about time someone treated you kindly, so let me carry your bag, okay?” I say, a little more harshly than I intended. Rose drops her head, avoiding my eyes and murmurs something that I can’t hear.  
“Hey. I’m sorry. That was harsher than I intended for it to come out. But you deserve to be treated kindly. After all, that’s what friends are for,” I say, putting my hand on Rose’s shoulder.  
She looks up at me, an unreadable expression on her face, and nods. “Okay. Thanks,” she says, then keeps walking.  
I quirk an eyebrow, then shake my head and follow her. We’re joined at the carriages by Fred and George, and they glance from Rose to me, confused.  
“This is Rose. Rose, meet Fred and George Weasley,” I say, raising an eyebrow and trying to communicate without saying so that Rose needed friends.  
Fred and George glance at each other, at Rose, then back at me, and nod. They open the door to the carriage and lace their hands together, lifting Rose into the carriage easily. “Only the best for you, milady!” they say, making Rose smile. I climb in after her while Fred and George grab… something, then they climb in after me.  
Once the door is closed and the carriage gives a lurch, swaying as it makes it’s way slowly to the castle, Fred and George reveal what they grabbed. As Fred opens his hand to reveal a fistful of pine needles, George waves his wand and the pine needles magically form in to a sculpture of a rose.  
Rose smiles, and I can see her face light up as they hand her the sculpture. “This is beautiful, thank you,” she says, and I smile. Out of all the people to get in to a carriage with, Fred and George were probably some of the best options.  
As the carriage continues towards the castle, I lean back in to the cushy seat and enjoy the slightly musty smell of the cushions, listening to Fred and George as they talk about their summer. Rose and I join in with our adventures and too soon, we’re at the castle. Rose and I walk in, parting ways as we go to our respective house tables. I watch Rose as she sits towards the back of the Great Hall, avoiding sitting next to anyone from her house. I frown, disappointed that she hasn’t found friendships in her house as Professor McGonagall always promises the first years will. I keep my eyes on her, vowing to help her make friends even if they’re not in her house this year.  
My attention is pulled away from Rose when the first years walk in, and I smile, excited to see the new Gryffindors we’ll get this year. Maybe there’ll be a brilliant flyer and we can get a new seeker. From the Quidditch try outs in past years, there hasn’t been much talent. I doubt McGonagall would make an exception but she might… or Professor Dumbledore might approve a first year to be on the team.  
I watch the first years as they walk past, noting a few students who look to be the right height and build to be a seeker.  
Professor McGonagall calls the names one by one, and my mind begins to drift towards forming a better Quidditch team this year and how I can help Rose. My thoughts are broken through when I hear that famous name called.  
“Potter, Harry!” McGonagall’s voice rings loud and clear through the Great Hall and I gasp. The whole hall has gone completely silent- you could hear a pin drop and echo. A small, scrawny boy with jet black hair walks up to the stool and sits down. McGonagall puts the hat over his head and it slips past his eyes. The entire student body sits, tense, waiting for Harry Potter’s house to be called. Every muscle in my body is tight, waiting in anticipation and I feel that same tension in the air.  
“GRYFFINDOR!” calls the Sorting Hat, and our entire house erupts in cheers. It’s complete chaos. Fred and George are yelling, “We got Potter,” others are cheering, and even McGonagall lets out a rare, small smile. In the midst of all the chaos, I glance over at Rose, and she’s staring at Harry intently.  
It’s not her staring at him that catches me off guard, though. It’s her expression. Rose is staring at Harry, her eyebrows scrunched up, and a dazed look in her eyes. She almost looks like she’s trying to remember something… But that couldn’t be it. Surely she was just hoping her house could have the Boy Who Lived… right?


End file.
